Secrets Inside
by GHPCFAN4LIFE
Summary: Harry is called to school 2 weeks early. Who will be there? What will happen? And Harry will Learn things aren't always as they seem. A/N:PLEASE DONT READ IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN BOOK 5!!! Other wise Enjoy please R&R!!!
1. Memories and Letters

A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN BOOK 5 DON'T READ THIS. Otherwise Read and Review!  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
  
  
Harry laid in his bed trying to sleep. He kept thinking about Lupin, his parents, and of course Sirius. Harry fought hard to swallow a lump in his throat whenever Sirius came to mind. It was just a few months ago that he had seen Snape's worst memory, with all of them in it. But the anger Harry had felt towards them was feeble now, because just one month ago…Sirius had died, and Harry blamed himself.   
  
"I shouldn't have gone." he said to himself,   
  
"Hermione said I shouldn't have gone and she was right. He'd still be alive if it weren't for me."   
  
Harry felt the urge to scream, throw something, anything but that would of course wake up the Dursley's, something Harry definitely didn't want. When he finally turned over to go to sleep, his owl Hedwig came swooping in, letter and all. She dropped it on Harry's bed. Harry hadn't replied to a lot of the letters he had gotten, or even read them, but this was different. It was a letter from Hogwarts.  
  
"It's a bit early for start of term notices isn't it?" he asked puzzled, looking at Hedwig, who hooted quietly.  
  
Harry reached for the letter, it was different, it was a lot thinner than then usual letter they got. No this wasn't a notice, this was an actual letter. Harry slowly opened it. When he pulled out the parchment there were two pieces one in an untidy scrawl from Hagrid.  
  
Harry,  
  
Hope the muggles are treating you right. See you sooner than you think. Everything's fine here.  
  
-Hagrid  
  
What did he mean sooner? Puzzled Harry took the second letter which was longer and Harry also recognized the loopy handwriting. It was from Albus Dumbledore. Was he writing to check up on me? Is something wrong? All of these questions raced through Harry's mind as he read the letter.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I do hope that you have been alright, since the events of last month. I am continuing to remind you, you are not to blame. I am writing to check on you yes, but that is not all. I do have one request of you. I was wondering whether or not you would consider coming to Hogwarts, two weeks early. There are some things you should know before school begins, and someone I would like you to meet. If you could come please send word with your owl, and a friend will be there soon to pick you up.  
  
Yours Sincerely,  
  
Professor Dumbledore  
  
Two Dursley free weeks, two extra weeks at school. Harry somewhat lightened by this request, but all the more confused. He walked over to his desk, pulled a piece of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink, and began his reply.  
  
Professor Dumbledore,  
  
Everything is ok here, I guess. I will come to Hogwarts when you ask. Anything not to be cooped up here. Thanks for the support, see you soon.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Harry  
  
It was short, but Harry felt it explained as much about life at the Dursley's as possible. He walked over to Hedwig and tied it to her leg.  
  
"Can you take this to Dumbledore please?" Harry asked. Hedwig hooted with pride and soared out the window.  
  
Harry then began to wonder, who would be picking him up? What kind of friend? Ron? Hermione? It hit Harry then,   
  
"Probably a member of the Order." he said to himself as he rolled over to go to sleep.  
  
The next morning, when Harry went down for breakfast, his Aunt petunia and Uncle Vernon looked sharply at him and Dudley his porky cousin kept his eyes on the TV.   
  
"Haven't you gone back to that ruddy school yet?" Uncle Vernon snapped.  
  
"No, not yet. But I got a letter last night. Headmaster wants me there early." Harry replied sitting down to his grapefruit (Dudley was back on diet.).  
  
"How early?" Aunt Petunia asked almost bored and gazing out the window.  
  
"Two weeks. Someone will pick me up." Harry told her.  
  
"Fine. As long as they don't use the fire place." Uncle Vernon told him.  
  
Harry only remembered to well the occasion when the Weasley's blew apart half of the living room, using Floo Powder. Harry left the rest of his grapefruit for Dudley to steal and retreated back to his room. Two weeks early was approaching soon, within the week. Harry threw the books he was finished with into his trunk and only kept out what he needed. As he put his Firebolt away, again he thought of Sirius. He had given Harry the broomstick as thirteen years worth of birthday presents. He placed the broomstick in the trunk, and went to the mirror Sirius had given him on his night stand. Harry had broken it last term but had then since repaired it. He wrapped the mirror in the Invisibility Cloak his father had left for him and shut his trunk. Hedwig soared through the window looking thoroughly tired. She gave Harry the letter and swooped to her cage. It was in a Hogwarts envelope, but the handwriting was that of Hermione.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
Your not going to believe any of this. I'll explain more when I get there. Keep an eye out, especially tonight. See you soon.  
  
Love From,  
  
Hermione  
  
Harry folded up the parchment and put it with the others in his trunk. He was leaving tonight. Not nearly as happy as he usually was, but still wondering what all this was about and why Hermione was involved. He packed up the rest of his stuff, and to his surprise he fell asleep. 


	2. Arrival

When Harry woke up he was very groggy. When things seemed a little more clear he looked at the clock. 10:30 at night, and no sign of anyone from Hogwarts. Harry read Hermione's letter again.   
  
"Keep an eye out, especially tonight."  
  
"Well what am I supposed to keep an eye out for?" Harry asked sleepily.  
  
He got up and walked over to Hedwig's cage to let her out. He knew she must want to go hunt, for she had been sleeping all day. He was right. No sooner had he opened the cage, she had flown out into the night. He was now at a loss of what to do, all of his holiday work was complete, he certainly couldn't practice flying or any other spells. Harry kicked open his trunk and pulled out a book Hagrid had given him, after his first year at Hogwarts. There were several pictures of his parents and himself, but he automatically turned to his parents wedding picture. James and Lily were arm in arm, and standing next to them, his father's best man, and best friend, was Sirius. Everyone in the picture was beaming up at him. Harry quickly shut the book as he could not seem to force the tears back anymore. He let a few fall as he put the album away. He sat on his bed, head in his hands. His head sprang up though as Hedwig flew into the room once more.  
  
"What are you doing back so soon?" Harry wondered out loud as Hedwig swooped into her cage as though she was preparing to be moved.   
  
It was then Harry heard laughter outside his window. He jumped off his bed to find out who was there. He couldn't believe it, outside on broomsticks were Hermione, and Tonks who he had met last year. He spun around again after he heard a faint "pop" and in his bedroom was Remus Lupin and Mad-Eye Moody.  
  
"Hello Harry!" they all said at various times overlapping each other.  
  
"What are you all doing here? I thought it would be just one person!" Harry replied.  
  
"Well, we apprated here, so we could take your things to Hogwarts easily-" Lupin began with a faint smile.  
  
" We flew because we thought you could use some fresh air-" Tonks continued.  
  
"And Tonks thought you could use a friend on the journey back and even at Hogwarts." finished Hermione.  
  
"We'll see you at school Harry." said Moody handing Harry his Firebolt and with that and another popping sound he and Lupin disappeared.   
  
Tonks and Hermione came inside. Hermione sat down and looked around, and Tonks put a charm on Harry he had undergone only once before. His body and broomstick camouflaged with his surroundings. Tonks went to Hedwig. Lupin had let her out and left with her cage.  
  
"Is it alright if she flies with us Harry?"   
  
"Yes, I imagine she'd like that." he replied.  
  
"Ok let's go then." Tonks said turning to Hermione, "You all set?"  
  
"Yes. Let's go." she replied.  
  
They crept past the sleeping Dursleys and into the front yard since they couldn't very well kick off from a window. Tonks kicked off first, and her, Harry and Hermione had made a sort of triangle. Tonks in front, Harry and Hermione next to each other behind her, Hedwig flying in between all of them, hooting madly. After five minutes or so of silence Hermione turned to Harry.  
  
"So…Harry…err-how are you?"  
  
"Fine." Harry said, and thought to himself, Fine as long as I don't think of Sirius and what I did to him.   
  
"It's just that, well you never answered my letters I was getting worried."  
  
"Sorry. Didn't mean to worry you. Everything's been fine, not much to say." Harry told her, knowing all the while Hermione wasn't dense enough to believe that.  
  
"Harry, you're lying. I know you are." Hermione said looking worriedly at him.  
  
"It's been a rough summer, but what can you expect? I may have damn well killed Sirius myself!" he snapped, regretting it immediately, that pesky lump was back in his throat, and he was determined not to cry.  
  
Tonks dropped back a few feet to where they were,  
  
"Harry stop, you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened! It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault." she said kindly.  
  
"She's right Harry. Stop blaming yourself. Sirius wouldn't want that." Hermione insisted.  
  
Harry turned to look at her,  
  
"I should have listened to you. I should have stayed at Hogwarts and this wouldn't have happened. If I had listened to you he'd still be alive."   
  
"Harry-" she began before Tonks cut in.  
  
"Harry listen to me. When we left to get you, we pleaded-we begged Sirius to stay! But he told us he wouldn't. It's not that he wanted out of the house it's that he wanted to help you. The truth is you and Sirius should have left the moment we arrived and you two saw each other and knew you were safe, but he had some old battles to take care of, and so did you. Harry he would have gone had you not been there! There was nothing you could do."  
  
"But-" Harry began.  
  
"Listen to her Harry! There was nothing you could do! It's not your fault." Hermione told him.  
  
Harry just shrugged his shoulders and continued flying. Tonks flew back to the front farther ahead. Hermione still flew next to Harry, looking over at him every few minutes. Hedwig still hooting madly, flew a bit closer to Harry. It seemed like they had been flying for hours when finally Harry looked up and saw it. That enormous castle he called home. He knew they were within ten minutes of Hogwarts. Sure enough about five minutes later he heard Tonks yell for them to prepare to land. Hedwig had flown off to the barn where all the school owls were. Harry and Hermione sped up, now even with Tonks.  
  
"What are we waiting for, Tonks?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Just making sure we are in the clear from the Whomping Willow." she replied, "I think we're alright now though. Okay take it down."   
  
With that they all landed. All were silent as they walked up the stone steps to the great doors that lead into the entrance hall. The doors opened even before any of them reached the top. Albus Dumbledore was standing inside. Smiling at Harry, then at Hermione, and lastly Tonks. As they walked inside Harry saw that all of the house tables were against the walls and there was one table in the middle of the room. All three turned to Dumbledore.  
  
"Thank you, Tonks." said Albus kindly.  
  
"No problem. Um- I'd like to stay for tonight if you don't mind. I fancy a chat with Remus and Mad-Eye." she replied smiling at Harry and Hermione.  
  
"Of course. They're in the Ravenclaw dormitories, awaiting news of your arrival I expect." Dumbledore gestured her in the right direction, then turned to Harry and Hermione.  
  
"Err- Professor where will we be staying?" Hermione asked, though to Harry it sounded like she was just trying to make conversation.  
  
"The Gryffindor dormitories, as usual." he said smiling.  
  
"Right. Well, good night then Professor, night Harry." she said walking off toward Gryffindor house.  
  
"Good night." said Harry and Albus simultaneously.  
  
Professor Dumbledore turned to Harry,  
  
"Hello Harry."   
  
"Hello Professor. What was it you needed to tell me…you know before term begins." Harry replied.  
  
"All in good time Harry. Get a good night's rest and we will meet tomorrow evening." Dumbledore kindly insisted.  
  
"Good night Professor."  
  
"Good night Harry." he replied as he watched Harry walk away Albus said to himself, "Tomorrow you shall meet someone new. Someone very special, someone with a secret…I wish I knew what."   
  
Tonks and Lupin had come out from around a corner. Dumbledore gazed at them smiling, then he nodded. Tonks flashed a thumbs-up and Lupin gave a little chuckle, as they walked back to Ravenclaw. Dumbledore simply walked to his office smiling. 


	3. The Introduction

Chapter 3 Title: The Introduction  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, anyone who knows me and has read the 5th book knows I would never write anything like that.   
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Harry woke up the next morning and for a split-second found himself surprised to be at Hogwarts. Slowly he dressed in his robes and went down to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was already awake. She was sitting in a chair reading a giant leather bound book.  
  
"Good morning." Harry said causing her to jump.  
  
"Oh hello Harry, I was going to come and wake you in a bit-Why are you wearing your robes?" she asked turning around. She was dressed in baggy jeans and a t-shirt.   
  
"Aren't we supposed to?" he replied goggling at her. He had never seen her in muggle clothing before.  
  
"Now really Harry, term hasn't started yet, there is no need that I see." she told him shutting her book.  
  
Harry walked back up to his trunk and pulled on some clothes he had gotten from a neighbor of the Dursley's who happened to be a Squibb. He came back down, and he and Hermione walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. When they got there, Lupin and Tonks were already seated. Lupin was as always in his robes, as was Tonks, however she had changed her hair to a spiky style and it was bright blue.  
  
"Good morning Tonks, Professor Lupin." Harry and Hermione said together.  
  
"Good morning." replied Lupin.  
  
"Have some breakfast." Tonks insisted pushing a plate full of sausages, toasts, and eggs over to them.  
  
They ate in silence, except for the giggles from Tonks and Hermione. Tonks had been changing her hair to different lengths, styles, and colors all throughout their meal. Lupin however, was casting glances at Harry as though wishing to tell him something. Harry pretended not to notice and was quite relieved when Hermione finally got up.  
  
"Harry shall we go for a walk on the grounds then?" she suggested.  
  
"Sure." said Harry getting up to join her.  
  
"Have fun." Tonks told them and cast a look over to Lupin.  
  
"O-oh yes we'll see you later I'm sure." he said.  
  
Once Harry and Hermione had said their good byes they took off to the courtyard and sat for a bit talking about Ron and wondering how Fred and George were doing with their new joke shop. Next they went to the Quidditch field, and Harry explained some of the plays that Wood had come up with before he left. After they had covered most of the estate, they were at a loss of what to do.  
  
"Do you want to go see Hagrid?" Hermione asked.  
  
"If you think he's home." replied Harry.  
  
So the two set off in silence towards Hagrid's. It was on the other side of the grounds so once they got there, both were very out of breath. Harry and Hermione sat down on his front steps to catch their breath before getting up and knocking. Fang began barking viciously from the inside. They could hear heavy footsteps coming towards the door. Hagrid opened the door and at first only saw Hermione.  
  
"Oh hello Hermione. I thought you went to get Harry." he said ushering her inside.  
  
"She did, Hagrid." said Harry coming inside from behind Hermione. Hagrid pulled him into a rib-crushing, one-armed hug.  
  
"It's good ter' see you Harry! Did you just get in this morning'?"  
  
"Last night, and it's good to see you too Hagrid." Harry replied.  
  
Hermione had already put on some tea and the three were enjoying catching up, when an owl came in through the window carrying a letter.  
  
"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
Hagrid took the letter from her and read it. Harry and Hermione looked at him curiously.  
  
"Well we'll have to say good bye for tonight there Harry. Dumbledore is wantin' to see you in his office."  
  
"I had forgotten he wanted to meet me. Sorry. Good night Hagrid." said Harry.  
  
Harry and Hermione began their walk up to the castle. Hermione who was always a little nervous about walking past the Forbidden Forest, kept shooting glances into the trees when suddenly, she stopped and grabbed Harry's arm.  
  
"Harry did you see that?"  
  
"See what?" he asked her peering into the forest.  
  
"It was some sort of animal. Black, and it had gleaming eyes. Almost like a cat." she added the cat part quickly as she knew otherwise she would be describing the great dog that Sirius was able to transform to.  
  
"I don't see any-" Harry stopped abruptly…he had seen it, "Run."  
  
The two of them ran off toward the school. When they finally got to the doors, and inside the Great Hall they sat down.   
  
"What was that?" asked Harry.  
  
"I don't know! It kind of looked like a panther or a jaguar though didn't it?" Hermione replied.  
  
"What did?"   
  
Harry wheeled around, Lupin was standing right behind them.  
  
"What happened to you two?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing, nothing." Harry insisted.  
  
"Well Harry, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you." said Lupin guiding Harry towards the headmaster's office.  
  
"Is Tonks around?" Hermione asked.  
  
"In the Ravenclaw dormitories, you don't need a password." said Lupin smiling as Hermione set off.  
  
Lupin left Harry standing just inside Dumbledore's office. Harry could tell that he was alone so he went over to Fawkes's perch and began stroking the Phoenix absent mindedly when Albus appeared.  
  
"Fawkes has taken quite a liking to you, Harry." said Dumbledore, causing a startled Harry to spin around, "Do sit down, won't you?"  
  
"Err-What did you want to see me for Professor?" Harry questioned sitting across from Dumbledore.  
  
"Harry, I would like you to know that we have a new student at Hogwarts this year. Not a first year, but a sixth year like yourself." he began quietly.  
  
"Where did they go to school before coming here?" Harry asked.  
  
"Hogwarts." Dumbledore replied as though it were the most obvious thing.  
  
"But-"  
  
"You see Harry, like yourself, Miss Granger, and Mr. Weasley I have a somewhat different bond with her, than I have the rest of the students. She lives in the castle, year round. And has private lessons in all of her classes. You see, her parents as well as the rest of her family were killed, like yours, during the reign of Voldermort and by him. She was left in the care of a family friend, her Godfather, for about a year until certain circumstances put her in a home that was far to dangerous for an infant, or for anyone, so at last she was brought to me."  
  
"But where does she live, if not in any of the dormitories? And why did you bring me to meet her?" Harry pressed, very confused.  
  
Dumbledore continued,   
  
"Harry, I will undoubtedly show you where she lives, or lived I should say now. Do to recent events she has chosen to be sorted into a house, and continue her classes with everyone else in her year. As for why you need to meet her, I cannot explain that at this time. Either she or I will explain it in the future, just not now. Tell me Harry, have you ever noticed, though my office seems to be the closest it can be to outside, there are no windows on that side by the bookcase?"  
  
Harry looked around very confused. Dumbledore went over to the bookcase, took out his wand, muttered a spell and to Harry's great surprise the bookshelf leapt aside revealing a doorway. Dumbledore walked in and motioned for Harry to join him. Inside the tiny doorway was a statue…of a panther. As Dumbledore touched it with his wand and muttered the same spell it to moved aside and Albus opened the door behind it. He walked through and Harry followed him. He gasped as he realized that they had walked into what seemed like a mansion. Harry, trying to calculate the size came to the realization that you could've parked the Dursley's entire house just in the front room. The floors were a diamond pattern of alternating silver and royal blue. Everything seemed trimmed with silver, the furniture, the rug underneath a sliver trimmed marble table, even the handrail of the great spiral staircase he saw before him was silver.   
  
"Wait here, please." said Dumbledore as he began to climb the staircase.   
  
Harry noticed that before he went upstairs he had taken a picture that was sitting on the marble table with him. He didn't get a clear view of who the picture was but kept an eye on Dumbledore as he turned to a hallway just at the top of the stairs that had two doors, one at either end. One seemed to be perhaps a linen closet as is was very small and unfinished, but the other, the one Dumbledore had turned to was a great white door that like everything else had a silver frame and a silver door handle. Harry watched as he saw Dumbledore knock on the door, as it opened he couldn't see the other person. Dumbledore handed whoever it was the picture, and heard him say to them what sounded like 'he's here'. Albus came back down the stairs and stood with Harry.  
  
"Are you coming?" Dumbledore asked kindly laughing to the door he had just come out of.  
  
Another person came out of the room. She jolted when she saw Harry and questioningly whispered something that sounded to Harry like 'James'. She was obviously Harry's age, wearing jeans, a black sleeveless shirt, and white sandals. Harry noticed straight away that she was very beautiful. She had hair that fell just past her shoulders, and in different lighting teased you to guess whether it was auburn, red, or golden blonde, her eyes were just as blue as Harry's were green, and Harry noticed that her nails were done up just the way the rich girls at Dudley's old school had, white tips and the rest was natural, though a polish over them to make them shine. There was something oddly familiar about her, whether it was her mannerism, just the way she carried herself, or her looks Harry couldn't decide. Dumbledore walked away from Harry as she reached the floor they were on and walked over to her.  
  
"Harry, I would like you to meet, Abigail James." 


End file.
